This week’s Torah reading, Tzav, continues describing the various sacrifices offered in
the Tabernacle and Temple — a topic started in last week’s reading. This is followed by an
account of the seven-day inaugural of the Tabernacle.
Let’s read a passage from our Parsha:
Lev 6:8 The LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
Lev 6:9 “Command Aaron and his sons, saying, This is the law of the burnt offering. The
burnt offering shall be on the hearth on the altar all night until the morning, and the fire
of the altar shall be kept burning on it.
Lev 6:10 And the priest shall put on his linen garment and put his linen undergarment on
his body, and he shall take up the ashes to which the fire has reduced the burnt offering
on the altar and put them beside the altar.
Lev 6:11 Then he shall take off his garments and put on other garments and carry the
ashes outside the camp to a clean place.
Clearing the previous night’s ashes was the first daily responsibility of the priests. They
were to remove the ashes each morning to make room for the new sacrifices. The priest
was to remove them with a shovel and set them beside the altar before adding wood
to the fire. After accumulating for several days, the priest was to remove his priestly
garments, put on other clothes, and carry the ashes outside the camp.
There were probably more glamorous jobs in the Tabernacle, but the Mishnah records the
following: (Yoma 22a)
ORIGINALLY WHOSOEVER DESIRED TO REMOVE [THE ASHES FROM] THE
ALTAR DID SO. IF THEY WERE MANY, THEY WOULD RUN UP THE RAMP [OF
THE ALTAR] AND HE THAT CAME FIRST WITHIN FOUR CUBITS OBTAINED
THE PRIVILEGE. IF TWO WERE EVEN, THE OFFICER WOULD DETERMINE
BY LOT. IT ONCE HAPPENED THAT TWO WERE EVEN AS THEY RAN UP THE
RAMP. ONE OF THEM PUSHED HIS FELLOW WHO FELL AND BROKE HIS LEG.
WHEN THE COURT SAW THAT THEY INCURRED DANGER, THEY ORDAINED
THAT THE ALTAR BE CLEARED ONLY BY LOT.
There was apparently stiff competition for this dirty and mundane job. Even this most
menial job in the Tabernacle was a coveted opportunity to serve because everything in
the Tabernacle was a part of the holy worship of the Most High God.
The takeaway for us from this should be that we internalize this same attitude about our
service of God. We should be just as eager to perform a necessary, behind the scenes task
as we would be to perform more glamorous and prestigious work of the kingdom. All of
it is part of serving God.
This kind of attitude could transform our communities. Just as the priests vied for the
task of taking out the ashes, likewise we should jump at every opportunity to serve God’s
people and do the chores of the Kingdom.
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